[[HIGHLIGHT]]Excellent and authentic Indian food with a nice ambience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service was very friendly and quick. Mahli told us the lunch buffet is open again. Please come support Clay Oven. Great food, service and amazing value. We were staying at a hotel and Mahli wrapped everything nicely for us and added extra utensils so we can heat up the food later. Mahli was gracious, friendly, and treated us like family. What else can one ask for? We will be back. Highly recommend! read more

Clay oven is the best. Love this place for years . Amazing authentic Indian food lover their tandoori chicken and chicken tikka masala Service is always excellent Highly recommend!!! read more

Clay oven cuisine of India is fantastic restaurant that offers excellent service delicious food and cozy ambiance.we came here on new year eve the place was busy so we had to wait for the table we ordered chicken Tikka masala tandoori chicken kashmiri lamb garlic bread and rice pilaf everything was delicious the spice level was perfect Definitely will be going back read more

I order lunch from clay oven via door dash. I've had very positive experiences in person dining in, but my lunch was very disappointing today. I ordered naan, malai kofta, and a chai. The kofta was hard and very sweet. I actually felt like I was eating Gulab Jamun due to the flavor and appearance of the food. It's was circular and sweet unlike the usual look of malai kofta. I hope the staff can pay more attention when preparing food. The quality and favor is typically great here, but just not this time for me. read more

Clay Oven - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

The food was ok but i found a hair piece on my plate which is disgusting and the waitress offered 10% off but I couldn't eat afterwards. I ordered lamb tikka masala, the sauce was full of cream almost tasted like salted butter and the lamb was hard to chew on and tasted like beef not lamb. Sorry but never again! read more

Clay Oven - Hair piece i found on my plate. - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

I absolutely love the food here. The service is very great and the vibe overall is amazing. 10/10 recommend going there because I even go three times in a week read more

Clay Oven - Garlic Nan, Lamb Biryani - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

It was a super nice dinner with my coworkers! We ordered little bit of everything and it was just soooo Delicious! The service was great! The host suggested butter chicken it was my fav! Place is nice and clean and bathrooms too. Definitely will be going back. Thank you for dessert . read more

Clay Oven - Punjabi Fry Rice, Mulligatawny Soup, Cucumber Salad, Mango Lassi, Garlic Nan - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

The service was a little weird and they charged our card twice one with tip and one without the tip. As for the place it was quite nice it was giving me rustic vibes and the food was good especially the vegan side. I wouldn't recommend the other food they have which was very plain. If you do try them make sure you order other food in the menu or you'll be bored with your meal. The only thing I'm disappointed is that the soda was not cold and it was dirty. read more

Clay Oven - Vegetable Coconut Curry - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

Our family has been gleefully enjoying the Clay Oven for decades. The owner is a wonderful man and his staff are always pleasant and helpful. The food is amazing and always if there's any problems they rectify and even gift us a cup of starter soup sometimes. We like our food NOT SPICY and they always remember! We highly recommend Clay Oven and wish they'd bring the lunch buffet back!!! read more

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We order from this place often at work with doordash The food is usually good but much more expensive than other Indian places but they are closest to us so we keep ordering from them. I was so disappointed today after ordering a mango lassis that was obviously old. It tasted like very old and bad fruit. Even though they added so much sugar too mask the sourness but that was not drinkable read more

My absolute favorite local Indian place. I grew up going here like once a month so my family and I were heartbroken when the buffet closed due to covid, but it's finally back! For $15.95 with naan included, it can't get much better than this. Although the chai is no longer included as well as the mango chutney, I highly recommend anyone and everyone try this place. Exceptional service and staff too :) read more

Wonderful food, people and experience. I hadn't been here in years. It's a great place.

About 18 month ago, we complained because there was no one at the front desk when we went to pick up our order, part of the order was missing, and two employees were talking on their phones and literally ignoring us. The owner kindly wrote back to us to apologize and asked us to give them a second chance. Which we did. Tonight we ordered pick up from Clay Oven and decided to take advantage of curbside delivery. Following the instructions, we called when we arrived. The phone was answered by someone surly who said, "Where are you, I don't see you!" I explained we were three cars from the restaurant. He said, "I don't see you, I am looking out the window." Curbside delivery means the server walks out to the CURB, not remain in the restaurant. And the attitude was so dismissive. I walked in the restaurant to get our to go order. Once again, no one at all was in the front of the restaurant. I waited five minutes and when no one appeared, I just grabbed the bag and left. And whaddya know? The order was not complete once again. I have the receipt which says I ordered a thali dinner for two and a cucumber salad. No cucumber salad was included. How many chances should we give this place???? read more

LUNCH BUFFET! I loved all the sauces, and they weren't too oily. Everything was delicious. Fish fry , vegetable dish with okra, paneer, tandori chicken that was moist, AND more. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Everything was clean and upscale atmosphere[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. A very good deal for $15.95. for all you can eat . read more

I've ordered takeout from Clay Oven countless times during the pandemic, and they've never disappointed! Excellent portions, well-packed, and delicious food. Each dish lasts me at least two meals! I tend to go for the following dishes: Aloo saag: Very generous with the potatoes! Chana masala: Tender chickpeas and yummy spices - I would recommend getting it at least medium spicy Chicken vindaloo: Tender meat! Garlic naan: Thick, fluffy, garlicky! Vegetable biryani: Loaded with veggies Punjabi fried rice: My personal favorite, it's a good comfort food read more

Very good food full of flavor and the service is excellent. They also have a side room for small parties and gatherings. Parking is a available in the front and back. read more

I ordered Jain food via DoorDash from this restaurant twice, and both times, they completely messed up the order by including potatoes, which Jain food should never contain. The staff was extremely rude and entirely incompetent when I called to address the issue. This is the worst restaurant I have ever dealt with. Do yourself a favor and avoid this place at all costs - you will regret going here. read more

This place has been a dating spot for my girlfriend and me. It's peaceful, cozy, affordable, and the food is really not bad. I'm not Indian and I don't know how it should be like, but I enjoy the food. read more

Clay Oven - masala - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

I love veggie samosas with potatoes. I tried them from 3 different Indian restaurants within walking distance from each other in San Mateo and this place was the best. Crispy, flakey outside, soft and well seasoned inside. I also tried the paneer Tikka Masala. It was flavorful with the right amount of salt. The service was great and fast. Nice, family owned small business. Their prices are much lower than the other nearby places. This will be my new go-to Indian spot! read more

I just finished lunch; it was less than mediocre. I should have known when I walked in at 12:30; the place was empty except for one couple--ordered Tika Masala and Punjabi Curry chicken. The food was salty, and I couldn't tell the dishes apart when served. The rice was good and the Naan wasn't too bad. It was extremely irritating that the owner( I believe it was the owner he was conducting business on the phone the entire time speaking so loud it was near impossible to have a normal conversation, the phone rings he answered and said to the guy on the other end "Yeah, come down anytime the grill needs cleaning!). What really set my teeth on edge was being told that the very minimum that they accept as a gratuity is 18% WTF! read more

I enjoyed the ambience and food at the restaurant. We ordered tandoori roti, bhindi, daal and loved. Chai was a little salty which was unexpected. Service was a little slow as that particular day, they were short on staff. Overall - Highly recommend place for ambience and food. read more

Taking away a star as I found a hair in one of the naans. GROSS!! Original review: Something of a cluster-@#$*! In the interest of supporting independent restaurants during shelter-in-place restrictions, I ordered from this place, but would not do it again. (1) The order arrived more than an hour later than its original estimate; (2) Two items I ordered were missing: one was totally missing, and the other had been substituted with a different dish without contacting me. On the positive side, the Vegetable Korma I ordered was tasty, and I have enough naan to last a couple of days. By the way, although I ordered through GrubHub, the restaurant does its own delivery, so I don't fault GrubHub for the lateness. And to GrubHub's credit, their refund process is lightning fast! read more

Clay Oven - Vegetable korma - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

Th interior, service, food, and spice level are great. got the lamb punjabi and saag paneer.

Words don't do justice. The quality, freshness and taste of the food was just amazing! The price was so reasonable. It's our new favorite restaurant. Hope they offer catering because we throw parties quite a bit! read more

Clay Oven - Vegetable Biryani, Onion Kulcha Bread, Paneer Makhni, Vegetable Korma, Vegetable Samosa, Cheese Pakora, Mango Kulfi - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

Clay Oven is a great fit when you crave Indian cuisine to go or dine in. All food comes fresh and hot, right from the kitchen! Not so fast though... Anyway, I love this place and ordered from here on a several occasions. It was never fast but it is always very good. My favorite here are tikka and saag paneer. Since i'm not having super spicy food their mild is perfect for me. Although, I believe they could go all the way up if you're ready for some real heat! Also, I love their crispy bread, papadum(?), which is filling the gaps in between paneer cubes. Garlic bread is amazing. Rich, sizzling, and very smooth. It is perfect to eat with your hand assembling a small pieces of paneer, rice, and tikka. Yum! I highly recommend you to try this place because the food is simply great. Make sure you have the time to enjoy it! read more

Everything about ordering, interacting with different workers here and the food was bizarre and disappointing. When we called to order, it was as if we had the wrong number or they were surprised to get a call. When we picked up at noon on a Sunday the whole place was crickets, not one person in there and the lights turned off. We rang the bell for help and the guy that eventually came from the back looked at us like we were in the wrong place. I swear my friend and I looked at each other like we should just leave ASAP and cut our losses. It felt like we had stumbled on one of those drug places that fronts as something else. Eventually they brought our to-go order and it was very mediocre at best. Oily and stale tasting. Hate to sound so harsh but if the food had been good then all of the awkwardness from before would have been more forgivable. read more

OMG I ordered all mild dishes, and they were so spicy that I could barely eat them even after dumping an entire container of raita over my plate. I basically will throw out half of the food that I ordered. What a disappointment. read more

Food was good but extremely oily. The bengan bartha in particular was so oily that it left oil stains on the dishes we used, our nails, our teeth, and the bag it came in (we used doordash). I recommend the regular naan and the spinach naan that we got: very good texture and flavor. This place is good if you are looking for hearty food but I would highly suggest to the restaurant to cut down their oil use. The mutter mushroom was good, and the least oily. read more

The lunch buffet is a good value. It includes many different items and nan for $11.99. My son and I thought the butter chicken was the best dish. The sauce was flavorful and not too spicy. Some of the vegetable dishes were spicy. They did a good job of replenishing the food. Aluminum foil covered half of most servers so they did not have food sitting that would dry out. Service was very good--used plates were removed quickly. It was almost 2pm so only 3 other tables were occupied. read more

Clay Oven - Lunch buffet $11.99 - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

3.5 stars Clay Oven is downtown San Mateo's friendly neighborhood Indian restaurant. Indeed it caters to American tastes and you probably won't find many authentic Indian dishes on the menu here, but it's still good for what it is! Coming in for dinner, we perused the long a la carte menu before simply deciding on the Clay Oven Thali (a set menu) for two, which was definitely a good value in light of the a la carte menu prices. Our set meal started with two crispy papadum crackers, served with a cilantro chutney and a tamarind chutney. Shortly after came the grilled meat dishes on a sizzling hot plate--the juicy tandoori chicken and the nicely charred and spiced boti lamb kebab! And then came a thali platter with five different components! There was basmati rice topped with peas; slices of hot and fresh naan bread (it came without butter, which I liked); and raita, a nicely refreshing yogurt condiment (great for toning down the spiciness of the other dishes)! The saag paneer came with pieces of beautifully seared homemade cheese curds, and the chicken tikka masala with white meat chicken in a tomato-cream gravy was tasty, though a bit on the sweet side. Finally, we had two samosas with a nicely spiced masala filling--not bad, but it was clear the samosas weren't freshly fried and had been sitting around for a while. Finally, after we were all done, the waiter brought us out kheer, or a sweet rice pudding for dessert! I usually am not a fan of the ultra-sweet desserts that are typical in Indian cuisine, but I actually found this rice pudding topped with crushed pistachios rather refreshing with its light, milky taste. Nice! Overall, this was not a bad place for a very americanized Indian food experience--though perhaps also not one worth going out of the way for. read more

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Delish! Whether I dine in or doordash, everything is hot, fresh, and yum! A San Mateo stable.

We had a lovely lunch, definitely the best Indian Food in San Mateo . We love it .... read more

Love this restaurant. As my husband just said tonight "its perfect every time". This is such a warm and welcoming Indian restaurant. The staff is amazing....always polite and attentive. The owner comes around and checks in with us to see if we are happy with everything. We have been coming here for years and it is consistently. I could drink their water all day long.....mint in the water tastes wonderful. Tonight my husband had Lamb Saag.....my son had his favorite Chicken Tikka Marsala......and since I'm a vegetarian I had my favorite Coconut Vegetable Curry....YUM! Love the great cracker bread with the dip.....the Naan bread (garlic is our favorite) and the rice. Perfect meal...perfect atmosphere....perfect staff. Try it....I'm sure you'll like it!!! read more

Love this place. I eat here often, and the food is always great. Love their Vindaloo!! Staff is really friendly as well. read more

Clay Oven - Love this place! They have the best vindaloo! - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

I go here a lot! 1. Authentic Indian Cuisine, Top-Notch 2. The owner is fantastic, the service is great 3. Quiet ambiance, tranquil for a business meeting or quiet dinner 4. I am from India and the quality of the food is as good as I have had in Bharat 6. Variety, easy to do keto. And a meat lovers paradise 7. Plus I have brought my American friends, and they love it too Can I give this place 10 stars?? Highly recommended read more

I used to come for the buffet lunch all the time but due to Covid, they no longer offer the buffet option. I am not a vegetarian but I ordered 3 items from the vegetarian section-the mushroom with peas, the eggplant and the okra. I remember liking these items from the buffet before. Each of them comes with their own unique sauce and they were all bursting with flavor. Pair it with rice and naan bread. I like to spread the eggplant with naan bread and eat the other two with rice. They didn't ask for level of spice but I can eat spicy or not and it came out with the perfect amount of spicy. If you don't like spicy, make sure to let them know. All items came out piping hot and fresh. I'm liking this over the buffet option now but would definitely come back if they brought the buffet back as well. read more

Clay Oven - Okra, eggplant, mushroom and peas, rice, and two types of naan bread-plain and garlic. - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

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One star is for service. Worst Indian food ever. Food is not even made by Indians, made by Latinos who know nothing about Indian food. We ordered tandoori chicken, palak paneer, kofta curry rice and naan. The tandoori chicken was cooked with skin and badly cut, stringy stale and tasted as if it wasn't washed properly and had no taste. The paalak paneer was passable, the kofta curry was ok and the chicken curry was the worst, with chunks of boneless Punjabi chicken curry did not have any if the traditional un jani flavorings just chicken cooked in tomato purée, and was I palatable. The total experience was a huge disappointment for a meal and spoiled my Sunday. Please avoid this place, this restaurant is a sham in the name of Indian food. read more

I had a really nice experience here and the food was great. The servers were very polite and friendly and i'll definitely be back again. Thanks again read more

Clay Oven - Panner Paneer Makhni - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

We got the dinner for 2 and it was very filling and delicious. The owner was very welcoming and checked on us often. The food is very spicy which is a plus! read more

Clay Oven - Really good Indian food!!!!! The owner is so nice and accommodating. - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California

food was delicious, lovely and hot, staff and service was of a high standard, friendly and welcoming. mango lassi was lovely and refreshing. garlic naan nice and soft. overall ambiance was lovely, neat and tidy. highly recommend this place. read more

Clay Oven - Indian Near Me - San Mateo, California